A Pilfered Life
by rancoroftheheart
Summary: Nords fight to live and die honorably. Those who do so are greeted into the Hall of Valor in Sovngarde. But, so many lives have been stolen from the honorable path. This is a short tragic play of one such pilfered life. One stolen because of the harshness of the world. About two Nords: a thief named Nirn and a blacksmith named Hrage that share a short, beautiful, and tragic love.


"A Pilfered Life"-

A Tragic Play

By: Rancoroftheheart

AN: I thought this would have been an interesting book to come across on a shelf whilst traveling Skyrim.

In Skyrim, the harsh land of the proud Nords death is no unfamiliar thing. Nords fight for their homes, families, and land. They wield sword and shield against their foes. Death is welcome to warriors; for those that die with a sword in their hand in an honorable battle are greeted into the great mead hall; the Hall of Valor in Sovngarde.

But, so many lives have been stolen from an honorable path. So many, now do not make it to Sovengarde.

This short tragic play is about one such pilfered life. One stolen because of the harshness of the world.

R

Nirn. A Nord woman who grew-up in the gutters of Riften and jail cells of the many holds. She was no murderer, but a consistent thief.

One day she fell in love.

Hrage. A Nord man that was apprenticed to his blacksmith father. His life was simple, but indeed comfortable and honest. He was once no murderer, but the forger of many blades.

R

Hrage finishes his day by smelting new steel for the morning work. He lifts a small jug and takes a swig of water and feels lighter. He stops and looks around him then takes another swig. Suddenly he realizes his coin purse has been stolen.

He turns and sees a figure sprinting down the road, clad in leather and fur armor, and a hood.

He sets the jug down on the closest porch and runs to take back what is his.

Nirn sits atop a large boulder amongst the tall pines and counts her gold.

That's when the thief sees him; the man she stole from. He walks down the path, obviously looking for her, but doesn't think to look up.

Nirn- You're the first to come for me by yourself.

Hrage looks up, startled at the lovely voice from above.

Hrage- You are the sneak thief?

Nirn- Not hardly if you noticed the lift.

He looks at her long and hard.

Nirn- Suppose you want your coins back.

Hrage- Your name in trade for the coin taken?

She lifts a brow and stuffs the coin purse.

Nirn- 85 gold for my name? Are you mad?

Hrage- Yes, the Mad Blacksmith.

Nirn waits to see if guards ambush her or if he pulls his dagger. Neither happens.

Nirn- Nirn is my name. What is yours Blacksmith?

Hrage- Hrage Hammer-Heart.

Nirn slides down the boulder and meets him eye to eye. His brown eyes bore into her blue ones. She wonders why he doesn't call the guards.

Hrage- Have you always been a thief?

Nirn- Have you always been so odd?

He laughs and turns to walk back down the path.

For 5 months Nirn would lift Hrage's coin purse so that he would follow her to the woods. What started as friendly talk turned to sparks of romance that rivaled the work at Hrage's forge.

Hrage is working hard at his forge. He just finished 3 new swords, beautiful works, forged from his own selections of ore and smelting carefully in his own shop. He had shown Nirn his design idea of blade and handle. She agreed that they were unique and would be sought by many.

Hrage chugs some ale to wash down his small meal of salmon and bread as some Nord and Breton men greet him from his grinding stone and workbench.

Brognir- Greetings Blacksmith, I am Brognir my men and I require arrows and I a new sword of steel.

Hrage- Of course! I have plenty of arrows and perhaps you are a man of great taste in swords? As you are in amulets?

Brognir's men grab up a few quivers of iron arrows and set their coins on Hrage's workbench. Brognir touches his ruby amulet, proudly displayed over his strong steel armor.

Brognir- A family heirloom. I have a desire for a great blade, what have you in mind?

Hrage- A beautiful blade capable of both brilliant display and intense warfare. Ore's I hand selected and smelted in a new way. Tested and proven to best even the strongest of Dwarven and Orcish blades.

The men ogle the blade and Brognir feels of the handle and swings it around with great precision.

Brognir- It is light for a sword with such proposed strength. How am I to know it won't snap after a couple beheadings?

Hrage got an idea and hoped the risk was worth it.

Hrage- I propose a trial. These are the days of civil war and corruption is it not? It's a safe bet that within a couple days you and your men come across two or three groups of bandits, yes?

Brognir nods his agreement.

Hrage- I hold onto your ruby amulet as insurance and you travel this region and test out the blade for two days. If it is not suitable to your tastes I give back the amulet and give you the steel blade on the rack there instead and free of cost.

Brognir- Go on.

Hrage- If the blade is as I declare then I give you your amulet back, sell you this beauty at a bargain, and you tell all of the Blacksmith Hrage Hammer-Heart.

Brognir considers the proposition with a serious manner; his heirloom at stake if the man a fake and fraud.

Hrage- What say you?

Brognir- A deal. I test your blade for two days and come back.

R

Nirn walks gingerly across a small creek and nibbles a wedge of cheese she lifted earlier from some travelers asking her for directions to Morthal.

Nirn- Hammer-Heart, a fine name. Nirn Hammer-Heart? Oh, now I'm being a fool.

Hrage hadn't meant to over hear her spoken thoughts, but he was pleased he had. He knew now that she loved him as he did her. He would visit Riften after his deal with Brognir to purchase an Amulet of Mara. Then he could surprise her by wearing an amulet and telling her of his success with the new swords. He waits till Nirn was further away before calling to her.

Hrage- Nirn! There you are!

Nirn turns and runs to greet him with a small kiss to his coal smeared cheek.

Nirn- Good to set eyes on you Hrage, how was your forge today?

Hrage- It was well… How did you pay for that cheese wedge?

Nirn- Pay? I do not pay.

Hrage smiles at her and kisses her before she set to finish her small meal. They spent the afternoon walking and talking. Later that evening, once their hearts no longer sounded of hammers; he slipped away knowing he had an early start at his forge.

R

Nirn wakes to an empty bedroll, but was not mad, knowing Hrage is a good man and kind enough to let her sleep. She dons her fur and leather armor, pulls on her hood, and snuffs out what was left of her camp fire.

She walks the road until she comes across a slain man. She kicks him slightly. He doesn't move. She leans down and digs through his Knapsack still upon his back. She pulls out a coin purse and some jewels. Thanking the gods for her luck that he hadn't been looted yet. When the man suddenly turns and grasps her.

Nirn- What is this! Unhand me!

Man- You'll see what happens to thieves.

Two more men come from the nearby tree line, bows drawn. One yells to them.

Brognir- Nirn the Thief, you are wanted and we are collecting the 600 gold bounty and your head!

Nirn is struck with fear and manages to struggle away from the man gripping her from the road. Arrows fly past her as she runs.

Brognir is glad of his luck, to see the woman nearby matching the description and drawing of the woman he and his men were hired to take care of. He hands the Breton dusting off his citizen clothing his bow, and unsheathed the sword he has grown to love already.

Nirn runs until she could not do so. She leans against a tall pine for a moment to catch her breath when a sharp pain tore through her left leg. She grabs it in surprise, eyes the bloody arrow, and falls against the tree.

Brognir- What say you thief? Your last words to beg entrance to Sovngarde despite your dishonest life?

Nirn gripped her leg; her dagger still sheathed at her hip. She thought of Hrage and his warm embrace and his ashen face. She at least made one person happy in her life.

Nirn- The Divines judge me, not you Bounty Hunter.

Brognir smirks.

Brognir- I'll tell them that Nirn the Thief was not afraid of dying.

He lifts the elegant blade and the sun's rays bounce off it. Nirn watches the blade and smiles, feeling Hrage's embrace suddenly.

Nirn- He's done it. He's finishe-.

Brognir brought down the blade swiftly and cut Nirn's sentence short. He can't help but wonder what she meant…what the smile was for and who 'he' is.

His men rejoice and collect her head as proof of their job and loot her things.

R

Hrage works his forge until a familiar voice hails him from nearby.

Brognir- Hrage Hammer-Heart the Greatest Blacksmith in Western Skyrim!

Hrage grins and washes his hands in his nearby basin.

Hrage- You are pleased then?!

Brognir- Pleased!? This is the best blade I have yet to wield. I will tell all of your work and excellent craftsmanship. Now, what is your price for this blade?

The blacksmith beams again even as Brognir's Breton men leave to the Inn to get mead so the two can discuss business.

Hrage- For you 400 gold. It is worth 2,000 un-honed and un-improved.

Brognir- An excellent deal! I will pay extra for you to improve and sharpen it. 200 gold? Is that agreeable?

Hrage- Yes, I can work on it now if you'd like to join your men.

Hrage hands over Brognir's amulet as he hands him back the sword. Hrage cleans the blade of residual blood stains before working to hone it.

R

Brognir finishes up a meal and left his men at the Inn to check on Hrage's progress.

Hrage- Brognir, here you go. A blade befitting a Jarl.

Brognir gives Hrage 600 gold. The Blacksmith sits the coin purse on his workbench and thinks of the jewels and clothes he can gift Nirn.

Brognir- A fine blade such as this deserves a fine name.

Hrage- You are correct! I hadn't thought of a name yet.

Brognir- A name of importance to you!

Hrage- Yes. I've got it.

Brognir- Out with it. Your new blades need a proper name.

The bounty hunter smiles in anticipation.

Hrage- Nirn. The Blades of Nirn. Or even The Nirn Blades, forged by Hrage Hammer-Heart.

Hrage smiles in satisfaction at his choice. Brognir frowns.

Brognir- A fine name…but, why choose Nirn?

Hrage- The name of my soon to be wife. She will be a thief no longer, but a proud and honest wife of a Hammer-Heart.

Brognir- … … …a thief for a wife? That's a horrible idea friend.

The blacksmith laughs at what he thinks a joke from his new friend.

Hrage- She won't be a thief any longer.

Brognir- I am a bounty hunter. I traveled here to track a thief by that name.

Hrage stiffens.

Hrage- Explain yourself.

The man lifts a bloody bag from near his steel booted feet.

Brognir- If I had known-I would have warned you before our pursuit.

Hrage opens the burlap bag slowly and pales at the sight.

Brognir- You-killed-her. You killed my Nirn?

He looks at his own creation that aided in her death. He then looks to the rag he cleaned the blade with, now stained crimson. He swiftly takes the blade from bounty hunter.

Brognir- Calm yourself Blacksmith.

The bounty hunter pulls out a dagger and grips it tightly.

Brognir- I saved you from a doomed marriage with a thief.

Hrage lifts the elegant blade and the sun's rays bounce off it. Brognir watches the blade and smiles, knowing he will soon be in Sovngarde.


End file.
